[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 247 (Tuesday, December 27, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79419-79421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-28045]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2022-0235]


Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information 
Collection: Crash Causal Factors Program: Knowledge of Systems and 
Processes

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department 
of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA 
announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) 
described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its 
review and approval and invites public comment. This ICR relates to the 
planned ``Study of Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Causation,'' mandated 
by Congress in the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA). To 
plan and execute this study, FMCSA must collect information from the 
States and local jurisdictions to understand their interest or ability 
to participate in the study; existing crash data collection processes, 
systems, and resources; and commercial motor vehicle (CMV) enforcement 
funding mechanisms and sources.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before February 
27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) Docket Number FMCSA-2022-0235 using any of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Dockets Operations; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC, 20590-0001 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and 
docket number. For detailed instructions on submitting comments, see 
the Public Participation heading below. Note that all comments received 
will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including 
any personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading 
below.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov, and follow the 
online instructions for accessing the docket, or go to the street 
address listed above.
    Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT 
posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information 
the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the 
system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.
    Public Participation: The Federal eRulemaking Portal is available 
24 hours each day, 365 days each year. You can obtain electronic 
submission and retrieval help and guidelines under the ``FAQ'' section 
of the Federal eRulemaking Portal website. If you want us to notify you 
that we received your comments, please include a self-addressed, 
stamped envelope or postcard, or print the acknowledgement page that 
appears after submitting comments online. Comments received after the 
comment closing date will be included in the docket and will be 
considered to the extent practicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Stowe, Office of Analysis, 
Research, and Technology/Research Division, DOT, FMCSA, West Building 
6th Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001; 617-
386-6807; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260), was signed into law, appropriating $30 
million to FMCSA to ``carry out [a] study of the cause[s] of large 
truck crashes.'' On November 14, 2021, the President signed into law 
the IIJA (Pub. L. 117-58), which contains requirements for a larger 
study under section 23006, ``Study of Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash 
Causation.'' The requirements under section 23006 define the scope of 
the study to include all CMVs as defined in 49 U.S.C. 31132.
    Section 23006(b)(1) of the IIJA requires the Secretary to ``carry 
out a comprehensive study to determine the causes of, and contributing 
factors to, crashes that involve a commercial motor vehicle.'' Section 
23006(b)(2) further requires the Secretary to:
    A. Identify data requirements, data collection procedures, reports, 
and any other measures that can be used to improve the ability of 
States and the Secretary to evaluate future crashes involving 
commercial motor vehicles;
    B. Monitor crash trends and identify causes and contributing 
factors; and
    C. Develop effective safety improvement policies and programs.
    To meet the requirements of section 23006, FMCSA is establishing a 
Crash Causal Factors Program. Through this program, FMCSA will execute 
a multi-phased study of crash causal factors, with Phase 1 focused on 
fatal crashes involving Class 7/8 large trucks. This Phase 1 effort is 
referred to as the Large Truck Crash Causal Factors Study. Future 
phases of the study will focus on different CMV populations (such as 
medium-duty trucks) or crash severities (e.g., serious injury crashes).
    Congress anticipated that FMCSA would need to consult with the 
States and a variety of other experts when planning and executing the 
study, as noted in section 23006(d), which reads: ``In designing and 
carrying out the study, the Secretary may consult with individuals or 
entities with expertise on--
    1. Crash causation and prevention;
    2. Commercial motor vehicles, commercial drivers, and motor 
carriers, including passenger carriers;
    3. Highways and noncommercial motor vehicles and drivers;
    4. Federal and State highway and motor carrier safety programs;
    5. Research methods and statistical analysis; and
    6. Other relevant topics, as determined by the Secretary.''
    This information collection (IC) will collect data from Federal, 
State, and

[[Page 79420]]

local highway and motor carrier safety programs. It will focus on 
identifying and documenting States' and local jurisdictions' interest 
in participating in the study; agreements that the States or 
jurisdictions will require to participate in the study; existing crash 
data collection processes, systems, tools, training, and quality 
control processes; and CMV enforcement funding mechanisms and sources.

How the Agency Will Use Collected Information

    FMCSA will use collected information from four ICs:
 IC-1: Identifying Points of Contact
 IC-2: Sample Design; Partnerships and Coordination
 IC-3: Crash Data Collection
     IC-4: CMV Enforcement Resources and Funding
    Information collected under these four ICs will inform various 
elements of the study plan, including the sample design, data 
collection plans, participation agreements, resourcing plans, and 
development of the study database. Below are additional details on how 
FMCSA will use collected information to develop various study plan 
elements.

IC-1: Identifying Points of Contact

    Before collecting information for ICs 2, 3, and 4, FMCSA will first 
need to identify the appropriate points of contact in each State/
jurisdiction for the remaining IC components. Once FMCSA obtains 
contact information from the States, the Agency will distribute a web-
based survey for IC-2, IC-3, and IC-4 to the relevant point of contact 
in each State or jurisdiction. Below are additional details on how 
FMCSA will use collected information to develop various study plan 
elements.

IC-2: Sample Design; Partnerships and Coordination

    The original Large Truck Crash Causation Study conducted from 2001 
through 2003 leveraged the sample design from the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) National Automotive Sampling 
System (NASS) Crashworthiness Data System (CDS). NHTSA has since 
developed a new Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS), which 
replaces NASS CDS. Both NASS CDS and CISS are focused on crashes 
involving passenger vehicles (i.e., passenger cars, light trucks, vans, 
and utility vehicles). Neither sampling system was designed to collect 
data on a representative sample of crashes involving CMVs. NHTSA 
acknowledged this in its 2019 sample design and weighting documentation 
for CISS, stating in a discussion on special crash populations, ``The 
most efficient way to study a rare population is to design a special 
study that solely targets that particular rare population.'' As a 
result, FMCSA is planning to develop a new sample design specific to 
crashes involving CMVs. However, FMCSA cannot simply select a random 
sample of State and local jurisdictions to include in the sample 
design. The Agency will need to identify an appropriate mix of State 
and local jurisdictions to allow for a nationally representative sample 
design. Participating States and local jurisdictions will be asked to 
collect and share the required study data and troubleshoot study-
related issues as they arise. The information collected under IC-2 will 
inform the sample design for this study. It will also provide important 
information about State- or local jurisdiction-required participation 
and data sharing agreements.

IC-3: Crash Data Collection

    FMCSA is planning to leverage existing State and local jurisdiction 
resources (where possible) to collect required study data. This will be 
a complex effort that will require substantial information sharing and 
coordination between participating States/jurisdictions and FMCSA.
    Under IC-3, FMCSA will seek to learn more about the data elements 
that State and local jurisdictions are already collecting; State and 
local jurisdiction CMV crash reporting criteria and notification 
systems; State and local jurisdiction crash data collection systems and 
processes (e.g., what systems exist, who owns the system(s), the data 
flow from roadside to the system, whether the system can interface with 
other systems, etc.); existing crash data collection trainings offered 
by the State/jurisdiction; existing State/jurisdiction crash data 
collection tools; and crash data quality reviews that States and local 
jurisdictions currently conduct. The Agency will use this information 
to inform the study crash data collection plan and requirements for the 
study database.

IC-4: CMV Enforcement Resources and Funding

    FMCSA must collect information from States and local jurisdictions 
to understand whether existing commercial vehicle enforcement resources 
can meet the study needs, and if not, to determine how much additional 
funding or resources jurisdictions will require to collect the 
necessary data. IC-4 will identify available CMV enforcement resources 
within States/jurisdictions, funding sources for existing commercial 
vehicle enforcement resources and activities (e.g., State-funded versus 
FMCSA grant-funded), and whether there is a mechanism for the local 
jurisdiction to receive study funding through FMCSA's grant programs 
(i.e., as a sub-grantee). Information collected under IC-4 will also 
inform FMCSA resourcing plans outside of the States/jurisdictions 
(e.g., whether the Agency will need to hire third-party interviewers to 
interview involved drivers, motor carriers, and witnesses).

Method of Collection

    FMCSA will collect the required information for IC-1 via email. For 
ICs 2, 3, and 4, FMCSA will leverage a web-based survey application 
combined with a document sharing platform (e.g., SharePoint, Huddle) or 
email (if needed) to collect information. FMCSA believes that all 
respondents will have State or local government-provided information 
technology equipment (e.g., laptops, mobile devices, etc.) and internet 
access; as such, the Agency believes electronic submissions will be 
most cost-effective and efficient for respondents (as opposed to mail-
based submissions or some other means). FMCSA estimates that 100 
percent of submissions will be electronic.

Results of Data Collection

    FMCSA does not plan to publish results from this data collection. 
Results from this data collection, which will be descriptive and/or 
qualitative in nature, will inform the study sample design, 
participation agreements, data collection plans, resource plans, and 
study database requirements. No complex analytical techniques will be 
used. Final results from the overall study, once completed, will be 
published in a final study report. Findings from the overall study will 
ultimately inform the identification and development of countermeasures 
to prevent crashes involving CMVs.
    As part of the Crash Causal Factors Program, this information 
collection supports the DOT Strategic Goal of Safety.
    Title: Crash Causal Factors Program: Knowledge of Systems and 
Processes.
    OMB Control Number: 2126-00XX.
    Type of Request: New ICR.
    Respondents: State and local Government employees (first-line 
supervisors of police and detectives; police and sheriff's patrol 
officers; general and operations managers; chief executives; computer 
and information

[[Page 79421]]

systems managers; and computer and mathematical operations workers).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,160 respondents.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours per response for IC-1, 2.5 
hours per response for IC-2, 3.83 hours per response for IC-3, 1.67 
hours per response for IC-4.
    Expiration Date: N/A. This is a new ICR.
    Frequency of Response: Once for IC-1 and IC-2; no more than once 
annually for IC-3 and IC-4.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 9,127.5 hours total, or 3,042.5 
hours annually (215.5 annual hours for State computer and information 
systems managers + 495 annual hours for local computer and information 
systems managers + 293.5 annual hours for State police and sheriff's 
patrol officers + 210 annual hours for local police and sheriff's 
patrol officers + 112 annual hours for State first-line supervisors of 
police and detectives + 705 annual hours for local first-line 
supervisors of police and detectives + 42.5 annual hours for State 
general and operations managers + 125 annual hours for local general 
and operations managers + 42.5 annual hours for State chief executives 
+ 125 annual hours for local chief executives + 181.5 annual hours for 
State computer and mathematical operations workers + 495 annual hours 
for local computer and mathematical operations workers = 3,042.5 annual 
hours).
    Definitions: N/A.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for the performance of FMCSA's functions; (2) 
the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways for FMCSA to enhance the 
quality, usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) 
ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of 
the collected information. The Agency will summarize or include your 
comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this ICR.
    Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87.

Thomas P. Keane,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2022-28045 Filed 12-23-22; 8:45 am]
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